Loading and unloading crane



AUI 14, 1945- A. -M. DlTRsl LOADING AND UNLODING CRANE Filed Jan. 422, 1945 `2 Sheets-Sheetvl Aug. 14,1945.

A. M. DEf|TERs LOADING AND UNLOADING CRANE Filed Jan. 22, 1945 "a sneetssheet 2I -1 JNVENTOR.

/L M .DE/ TER-s Patented Aug. 14, 1945` Lomme www orrlci;

`Deiters, Atlanta, Ga., assignorwtos Southern Wood Ga. a corporation Preserving Company, Atlanta,

of Georgia -application Januaiyaa 1945, yserial Ne. 573,384`

This invention relates tofcranes and, among Q s olaiis. `(orale- 55) other objects, aims to provide a greatly improved t crane for loading and unloading heavy objects from box cars and the like. The main idea is to provide a crane positioned adjacent to a railroad y track and havingva crank arm which is rotatable into the open door of 4a box car on the track, the `crank arm carrying a rotatable frame or bracket on which is mounted a horizontally movable boom designed to be projected into the -far lcorne'rsof the car for loading and v'unloading'heavyobjects. Another aim is toprovidain acrane of this type, simple and eilcient power` operating mearisffor sting` acar adjacent toA the-crane. L

the boom. Anotherimportant aim of theinven'- tion is to provide suitable meansfor elevating and lowering the crane according to tbeflevel` ofthe load or the heightof box car doors. Still another `aim is to providean improved rmechanism for unloading crossties` from railroadcars! H Another object is to provide such `being mounted on `one side of the tra'cl'cf canfexpeditiously load and unload heavy objects through `the side door'of a box` carremote from thecrane.

'Another object is to provide means whereby parts lof the cranecan be readily swunginside of the open door of a box car'and can as readily be swu'ng out to permit the car to be moved into or out` of loading position.` t v 'x Otheraims'and advantages of nthe invention vwill appear in the specication when considered `in connection with the-accompanying drawings, wherein: v if Fig.`1 is a planview ofY ani` embodiment of the invention shown in operating position vbeside a box car; V V

Fig. 2 is aside elevationof thev'crane shown in Fig'. 1, omitting the showing of the`bX"'car; 'and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section takenonfthe lline'3--3 of Fig.'2. f T Y I The crane of the present invention is" disclosed more `or less diagrammatically in" my cpendi'ng application," ser. No. 564,509, mediNm/eiber '1, 1944:,ehtit1e'd Method Of dling crossties. Itis to that the utility'of this inventionis' not to'be considered as limited 4to such particular use,"`as"will berreadily apparent to those skilled in the art of handling heavy loads; t l e Referring to ithedrawings, therelis shown a vcrane embodying the .invention *havingl a rigid framell) firmly mountedi beside a' railroad track `I l: In theillustrativeexample,the'frameis seandarear legl M nA strutflservesas `a cross brace.- t Horizontal plate members" I 6r and xlllare shown as bengfwelded'tothelegs' to` complete the frame constatation.;` ni'this' example, tht-@regs `of f the fra'ine are made 'of 'structural beams joinedtor getheras by welding. i However, itis contemplated that the framework supportingthe cranema'y be `mounted onV wheels or' al tramc'ar adapted to' be anchored on a track, thereby making it `possible to movethe crane adjacent 'to a car insteadfoi spot- A crank arm, 4designated'generally'by'fthe numeral I8, is carried'insleeve.bearings I S'and 20 mounted, respective1y,in the webs Orr-'neme 2l e and 2z weldedfto'the vertical legs of' the frame I0. :The crank armV isformed of` lengths of pipe welded as shown,` 'and has a vertical post 23 `rotatable in the bearings'l 9 andf20; Horiaontalarms 24 carry,:at their outer ends,`a vertical'length of pipe 25; which rotatably carries thefbdorn, a supporting bracket 21- and associated mechanism. A screw jack y"28 supports the' lower end of the vpost or pivot member` 23"'an'd' is'use'd for vertically ade justing the position'of the crank arm uHlin the 125 bearings' I9 and 20L The 4screw jack supports the and sleeve bearings" l9"andf and apparatus for hanbe understood, however,

cured, by lag screws orbolts 12 secured in "a conf cretebase'orfootingpTheframeis `of general of side legs I3 55 :tripod construction, having a pai'r verticalload ofthe moving' `part'sj'ofthev crane togetherwithanyfload being" moved bythe crane, ZUfbear` the side'thrust exerted by the crankarx'n'IB.

A pair of chainfguys -29 are's'hown asbeing xed 1 opposite ends of the lower 'beam member 21",? The chains may b'e removed 'or unhooked vto'perriit the crank arm to be swung 'to one side next to the of the crank arm carries afst'ein 'orshaftf 32 `mounted" on an 'upper' `thrust bearing `iand `lower guide bearing 3'4. best seen ir'ilig. 3, the thrust bearing 33 is' o'f the 'roller'type'y and has anA outer raceway 35` and an inner raceway "36' `which carries the stern 32.*' Iheflower bearing 34 isalsougof the tapered roller' :type and ean beadjusted'in the `usual manner."V A sleeveor` short Ilengthof ypine, 37v surrounds" the shaft 32 and` iswelded thereon to rest uponje'he inner raceway 3 6 ofbearing: 33.V "The boom support "2;1- comprises fa pair of vertically `disposed"plates" n38 and 39 weldedto opposite sidesflof the' l spacedrolls 40" andllatoppositeends of the usup- Dort,g uide the booinjZQwliichis preferablyinthe form of an [-IlIoearn` 'to 'provide great; bending. resistance. The' boom isffree tof 'reciprocate on the rollers ,40"1'and4`l slothat the `bo`om"`may be propipe 3l.` Pairs offvertically speed reducer 6 of a suitable chain and sprocket drive 48. About the drum 46 a rope or cable 49 extends to eye 5l!l I at the forward end of boom 26.' Similarly, from* the drum 41 a cable or ropevl is connected to. an eye 52 at the rear end of the boom. The motory 42, when driven in one direction, servesv to Wind i up the cable 5I on the drum 41v and to unwind cable 49 from drumr4'5, thereby `moving the boom in a forward direction. Reversal of themotor=42 effects a reversal of the rotation of the drums and a resultant rearward movement of the boom 26.

The boom 26 carries a suitable load hoisting means shown specically as a hook 53 attached to a hoisting line or cable 54 passed over a system 'of pulleys 55, 56 yand 51 to a hoisting drum 58. The drum 58 is driven'by a reversible electric motor 59 vthrough al belt drive 4lill and worm and wheel Suitable switches or controls (not shown) are provided for the motor 59." It

will be observed'that rollers 40 and 4|, which sup port the boom, are provided with central grooves through-which cable's49, 5I and 54 `may pass without interfering with the operation of the rollers in supporting andguiding the boom.' The boom valso carries' ordinary limit switches (not shownl to `stopwthe operating m'otor when the boom reaches the'ends of its travel.

In'operation", a boxy car 62 is'stopped beside'the cranevwith its near door-63 and it's far door`B4 adjacentto `the crane. The crank'arm I8 is verticallyj-ad'usted,v ifv necessary, byl means of the jack 28 so that it-,'to`gether with the boom support,

may'be swung-intopositionin the car door 63,.as1

shownin Figs. `1 and 2, and lockedin this position 29. Withthe crank 'arm in this position, the boom support 21v may' be-manually rotated, as indicatedv bythearro.ws in Fig. l, to'assume a position Where theiboom maybe projected'into the. farthest ycorners, ofjzthe car, as shown in dottedlines inFig; -1. 'Suc-h horizontal rotation of4 the lboom and supportipreferably isz'faccomplished by 4an operator stationed within the car 62, but it lwill be runderstood that'power'rneans maybe provided forI rotating the boom and boom support. .An article to be unloaded'from the car is attached to hook- 53, 1or\ othersuitable loadengaging means,` and is hoistedto be conveyed out of the car.r ,The operator, byiuse of the motor A42, causes'the boom to be .retractedtov approximately. the positionshownin solid lines in Fig.: l,

,and manually swings thebo'om audits load to a transverse position- `with respect to the car. Next, the .operatorA projects the loaded `boom out through the. opposite cardoor 64 and operates the hoistingmotor 59 to cause the loadto belowered to a platform,y vehicle, Aor-conveyon It will be appreciated that, rwhereas .the craneof this invention is particularly Ladapted'gfor loading and unloading box cars,-;.it mayalso--be utilized for unloading atcars, gondolas andthe `wlike.:`

, From the.foregoingdescription, it willbe seen that this invention prcvidesa unique and vefficient device for loading andv unloadingbox cars.- It wil] be sunderstood ,thatl;iyarious: modifications by engagement of the free ends o'f the chain: guys' may be made in the embodiment of the crane herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Moreover it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly, since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and sub-combinations.

What is claimed is:l rl `1. A car loading and unloading crane of the ,character described, comprising, in combination,

'an upstanding support positioned adjacent to a r'ailroadtrack;ia crank arm carried by said supportami mounted ,to swing horizontally into and out. lof "operating {position with respect to the v,opening ofk a boxcar door; a boom support carried by said crank arm and mounted to rotate aboutk a vertical axis; a horizontal boom carried bysaid boom support and mounted for radially extensible and retractible movement so that it canbe projected to any position in the box car; operating means connected to reciprocate the boom; and loadhoisting means carried by the boom.

2. A car loading and unloading crane of the character described, comprising, in combination, an upstanding support adapted to be mounted adjacent to a railroad track; aA crank arm carried =by said support .and=mounted to swing horizon- V'tallyinto andout Iof'operating positionwith respect to the opening ofia box car door; means for verticallyadjusting thepposition of. said crank arm;` a boomsuppot'carried by said crank arm andmounted torotate-about av` vertical axis; a horizontal 'boom carried-.by said boom support and -mounted'for radially extensible and retractiblemovementvso that -it canI be projected into-,and out offa box car;xa motor connected to reciprocate the boom; 4andfload hoisting means carried'by the boom. s

f 3. A car loading and unloading crane of the character described: comprising, inl combination,

Aan vupstanding` supportadapted `to be rigidly mounted'adjacent to a1railroad track; a pair of verticallyl disposed bearings carried by said support; a vertical vpivot member journaled in said bearings; ahorizontal crank arm extending from said pivot member; a Verticalbearing member carried by the end;ofsaid arm; means connected vto raiseand lower. said pivot member; aV vertical stem journaledv for horizontalv rotation. carried by said bearing member; a boom support carried by said stem;- ahorizontal vboom carried Aby vsaid ,boom supportand;;mountedr for `reciprocating movement so that it can be projected into and out of a box car; amotor connected to reciprocate Vthe boom; and -loadhoisting means carried by theboom... f.

4. A car loading-and unloading crane of the character .described fcornprising, in combination,

an yupstanding support-adapted to be rigidly mounted adjacent to 'a railroad track; a pair of vertically disposed bearings carried by said support; a'vertical pivotmember journaled insaid bearings; a horizontal armextending-from 'said `pivot member; a vertical-bearing member lcarried 'by the end 'of said. arm ajack-for raising and lowering said pivot member;avertical stem journaled ffor horizontalv vrotat-ion in 'said' bearing member; a boom support carried by said stem" a 4 horizontalboom carried-by 'said'boom support and mounted for reciprocating movement so that it can be projected in'toand out of ya box car; means to reciprocate'the boom .including a pair of drums carriedby said boom' support, a lcable leading from one of said drums to the forward end of the boom, a second cable leading from the other of said drums to the rear end of the boom, landa reversible motor connected to drive said drums at equal peripheral velocities to unwind one of said cables and wind up the other of said cables; and load-hoisting means carried by the boom. 4

5. A car loading and unloading crane of the character described comprising, in combination, an upstanding support adapted to` be rigidly mounted adjacent to a `railroad track, a pair 'of vertically disposed bearings carried by said support; a vertical pivot member `jo'urnaled in vsaid bearings; a pair of horizontal arms `extending from said pivot member; a vertical bearing member carried by the ends of said arms; means connected to raise and lower said pivot member; a vertical stem journaled for horizontal rotation in said bearing member; a boom support carried by said stem; a horizontal boom carried by said boom support and mounted for reciprocating movement so that it can be projected into and out of a box car; means to reciprocate the boom including a pair of drums carried by saidf boom support, a cable leading from oneof said drums to the forward end of the boom, a second cable leading from the other of said drums to the rear end of the boom, and a reversible motor connected to drive said drums at equal peripheral velocities to unwind one of said cables and wind up the other of said cables; and load-hoisting 7. A crane, as set forth in claim 2, including a pair of chains carried by the crank arm and releasably connected to the support on opposite sides of the vertical axis of the crank arm, whereby the crank arm may be maintained in its horizontally adjusted position. l

8. A crane, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the load hoisting means includes a motor and winding drum mounted on the rear end of the boom; and

a.hoisting cable trained over a sheave at theforward end of the boom.

9. A crane, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the motor for reciprocating Vthe boom is a reversible electric motor supported by said crank arm; and

reduction gearing connecting said motor to operate the boom.

A. M. DErrERs. 

